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Thane building collapse: 37 dead

At least 37 people died and over 69 others were injured after a building collapsed in Mumbai's Thane district, police said on Friday.

The death toll in Thursday's building collapse rose to at least 37 as more bodies were recovered from the debris on Friday morning, said the police.

The seven-storey building collapsed around 6.30 pm on Thursday at Shil Dhaigar locality in Thane.

"We have confirmation that nine children and five women were among those who died in the accident. Over 30 people have been seriously injured," Mumbai Suburban District Deputy Collector Manoj Gohad told reporters.

However, the Thane police control room said the deceased included 12 men, 10 children and 8 women.

Some of the deceased men were workers at the construction site.

There was a pregnant woman, identified as Shakila Imran Siddiqui, among the deceased, said the police. The other bodies have not been identified so far.

According to reports, several people are still feared trapped under the debris as rescue work continued on Friday under the supervision of Municipal Commissioner RA Rajeev and District Collector P Velarasu.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar are likely to visit the accident site later on Friday.

Meanwhile, the police said they have registered a case under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of Indian Penal Code against builders Salil and Khalil Jamadar who are untraceable since the accident happened.

"We have registered a case against the builders. But they cannot be traced at the moment. We are trying to track them down," said a senior police official.

According to reports, at least 28 families were living in that building without occupancy certificates even though construction was underway.

Confirming the news, Gohad said the building was unauthorised and had been occupied up to at least the fourth floor.

A team of the National Disaster Response Force and hundred policemen from Mumbai have been sent to the spot of the accident.

More than 12 fire engines and over 24 ambulances have been stationed at the site.